Labour manifesto launch

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has launched Labour's election manifesto by saying that every hospital in Britain will be made into a foundation trust by 2015.

Speaking at a hospital in Birmingham, Mr Brown reiterated promises made by the party to allow patients legal rights on how they were treated and how long they had to wait for treatment.

He said that in England an increased number of GPs would be available from 8am to 8pm, and the high street would offer more health services.

The party's manifesto also says that hospitals in England are to gain the status of foundation trusts and hospitals which are already trusts could have the opportunity to manage under-performing hospitals.

There are currently 129 foundation trusts in England and they are run as "not-for-profit" organisations.

The manifesto states that patients with long-term conditions should be given a care plan and budget. It also says people who are thought to have cancer will be sent to a specialist within a fortnight and will receive their test results within seven days.

Speaking about the manifesto's launch, Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of BMA Council said: "Patients deserve the right to have prompt treatment, but this must not override clinical priorities."

"Patients should always be treated on the basis of clinical need and not according to the latest target."